Get a good night’s sleep..

Sleep Apnoea

At Duncraig Dental Care we can help treat your sleep related dental issues to help ensure your dental and overall health is preserved. Did you know that your sleep problems could be triggered by poor oral health? At Duncraig Dental Care we will do the best we can to get to the root of your problem to prescribe the best solution.

Our treatments could be the solution to your condition…

Often sleep related illnesses can be caused by poor oral health; here at Duncraig Dental Care we can prescribe a variety of treatments to help give you a good night’s sleep.

What is sleep apnoea?

Sleep apnoea results when your breathing stops or is uneven during sleep. Often this condition occurs when the walls of the throat come together during sleep, which blocks off the upper airway. In the event that this occurs breathing stops for a period of time, this is usually for a few seconds but in some instances it can be between 20 – 40 seconds until the brain registers the lack of breathing or a drop in oxygen levels in order to send a message through your body to wake up. At this point the sleeper usually rouses slightly, in which the upper airway opens. Typically the sleeper will snort and gasp, and then sleeper usually will just drift back to sleep, oblivious to their condition.

More often than not, the person suffering from sleep apnoea doesn’t even realise they are waking up. This pattern can repeat itself over and over again every night, causing fragmented sleep patterns. This leaves the person feeling unrefreshed in the morning, with excessive daytime sleepiness, as well as poor daytime concentration, work performance and fatigue.

Sleep apnoea is more common than you may think…

It’s estimated that about five per cent of Australians suffer from this sleep disorder, with around one in four men over the age of 30 years affected. Obesity has proven to be one of the most common causes of sleep apnoea. Often the loss of just a few kilograms may be enough to radically reduce the severity of the disorder. Other contributing factors can include:

Alcohol– liquor can relaxe the throat muscles and often reduces the brain’s reaction to sleep disordered breathing

Certain illnesses- reduced thyroid production or the presence of a very large goitre can trigger sleep apnoea

Large tonsils- large tonsils can interfere with the throats ability to relax, this is especially evident in sleep apnoea cases in children

Medications- sleeping tablets and sedatives have been known to bring on the affects of sleep apnoea

Facial bone shape- the size of muscles such as an undershot jaw can cause difficulty breathing

How we can help you…

At Duncraig Dental Care we will assess your dental condition and your lifestyle to determine the most effective treatment for you. We treat a large amount of our patients with a dental device worn at night that keeps the back of the throat open by forcing air through the nose with a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD). However, some people with sleep apnoea find the device difficult to tolerate, which is why we also offer a mouthguard treatment. They work by holding the jaw forward during sleep, which can keep the throat open for mild sufferers of this condition.

Make an enquiry

Do you have a question or concern about your oral health? The dedicated team of specialists at Duncraig Dental Care are here to help. Enquire